


Where Darkness Resides

by MaskedKing631



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Camp Half-Blood (Percy Jackson), Character Death, Dark Leo Valdez, Hurt Leo Valdez, Not Beta Read
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-13 01:54:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29519070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaskedKing631/pseuds/MaskedKing631
Summary: “He would get stronger, he had decided then, he would get stronger, faster, deadlier. Then, he would kill Percy.”After losing Calypso Leo has no reason to return to Camp Half- Blood. Angry and resentful, he turns his back on the Gods and joins forces with a legion of monsters as an act of revenge. How far will he go to make Percy pay and how many people will he hurt to get what he wants?
Kudos: 3





	Where Darkness Resides

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, so I made a TikTok about this awhile ago if you want to check it out my TikTok is stephh.v__  
> I’ll probably make this into a series and add my other dark hero’s in the mix but for now we can start with Leo! Hope you enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It's not that powerful, just pour water over me and the fire goes away." He grumbles, "I wouldn't win in a fight against Percy."

It took time before Leo could be trusted among the legion of monsters he joined. He couldn't really blame them, almost all of them knew he was one of the seven that helped defeat Gaea. It made things very tense and a lot of fights broke out the first week between those who wanted him dead and those who thought he could help them. Leo was constantly on guard, Festus never leaving his side. Eventually they warmed up to him thanks to their shared hatred of Percy Jackson. Leo couldn't say that he much cared for his comrades in arms but he couldn't deny that he felt more comfortable sitting around a campfire with them than he ever did surrounded by his brothers and sisters at Camp Half-blood. They also really like Festus, cooing and feeding him motor oil whenever they could. Festus drinks up the attention and seems to stand up to his full height whenever they compliment him on how dangerous he is and how he's a big help to them all. Leo can't help but roll his eyes whenever it happens but a fond smile soon follows. 

Three months had passed since his failed attempt to rescue Calypso and the ache in his chest had yet to weaken. Whenever he closes his eyes he sees her lifeless face and Leo can't help the tears that threaten to fall. She was older than the Gods but when he held her in his arms she looked no more than sixteen. Leo cried as Festus had flown them away from Ogygia, clinging onto Calypso and murmuring broken apologies. When they reached land, Leo had asked Festus to dig a hole to place Calypso's body in. He gathered whatever flowers he could find before gently placing Calypso down and covering her body. He cried over her makeshift grave and cursed every being in power he could think of. 

_It was the Gods' fault! They did this to her, they cursed her! It was them and-_

Leo freezes as his thoughts become more frenzied.

_It was them and Percy._

That thought, that one thought, had been enough to make Leo get up from the ground. Leo wasn't stupid, despite what others thought. His fire was strong but not strong enough to defeat Percy. He would get stronger, he had decided then, he would get stronger, faster, deadlier. Then, he would kill Percy. 

The thought had tickled his brain in a strange way and Leo couldn't stop the laughter that had tumbled out of his mouth. Festus had croaked in concern and Leo gave him a light pat. They were off in the sky again before landing near Oklahoma City. Leo had walked through with Festus who bounded after him, getting stopped every now and then by people who wanted to pet the funky looking dog at his side. Festus had enjoyed the attention of the animal lovers. Leo watched the people that passed carefully, taking his time before deciding on a kind looking grandma. 

"'Scuse me, ma'am, could you tell me which way is Tulsa?" 

"Tulsa?" She asked, "That's bout an hour and a half from here, young man." 

"That far?" Leo faked a groan, "I was supposed to meet some friends somewhere over there but well, I guess I got lost." 

"You ain't got a phone to call 'em?" She asked worriedly, "You all by yourself?" 

"Yea, just me and Festus. We kinda lost everything on the way here." 

"Oh, well, you're pretty far from Tulsa and I don't drive anymore." She had sounded apologetic. 

"Aw man. Well, that's all right ma'am." He ran a hand through his hair before shooting her an innocent smile, "Any chance I could borrow your phone?" 

After that, Leo had left the city to find a more remote area to wait. He didn't feel like causing any damages to Oklahoma City. He didn't wait long before they had found him and then it had taken awhile for the fighting to calm down enough to get a few words in. 

That's pretty much how Leo had ended up here with Festus happily curled up by his side, creaking and groaning every so often. The fire was starting to die down so he reached over and rekindled it with his flames. He ignored the looks he got from the others as he sat back down. 

"Have you always been able to do that?" A voice asked. 

Leo looked over to see Tammi, an Empousa, watching him curiously. 

"Um, it was something I've developed more recently, I guess." He shook his head, "I mean, I had it, I just never realized I could actually do it. It was kinda considered a curse back at camp."

"That's dumb. It's a gift, not a curse. Not everyone is blessed with something that powerful." 

Leo smiles a bit at that. It had taken him awhile to accept his so-called gift. It had taken everyone else in Cabin 9 a bit more time to accept it and he knew they had still been uncomfortable with it. Especially when his clothes would disintegrate. It was a good thing that Calypso had made him new clothes that wouldn't burn. Calypso. His mood turned sour. 

"It's not that powerful, just pour water over me and the fire goes away." He grumbles, "I wouldn't win in a fight against Percy." 

Tammi snorts, "Yea, none of us have. That's why we're here, Valdez, to get stronger." 

"You think we have a chance?" 

Tammi considers it for a minute before nodding, "We have you now. You got every reason not to fail."

She wasn't wrong. If Tammi goes down in battle she can always just come back but if Leo dies...

Well, he's already died once, what's one more time? He doubted he'd make it into Elysium at this point anyways.

"Water still beats fire, though. If it came to a battle, we'd be crushed." 

"Ugh, what's with this terrible fighting spirit?" Tammi groaned, "You hate Percy, yea? Yea. You want him dead, yea? Yea. So do what you need to do to bring him to his knees. You know his weak points. Use them." 

"...He cares a lot about his friends and Annabeth," Leo says slowly. Tammi raises an eyebrow. "He'd do anything for them. He's kinda got a hero complex." 

"And?"

"And it would crush him if any of them got hurt." 

Tammi grins, "It would, wouldn't it?"

Leo's eyes widened as he started to get what Tammi was going for. He hadn't considered hurting anyone else but the idea of torturing Percy was very, very appealing. It's not like he cared for the others anyway. The closest he had been with anyone in the Argo II was Piper and Piper forgot about him the moment she started dating Jason. The cogs in his brain started to turn as he began considering who he wanted to deal with first. Tammi watched him intensely, fire dancing in her eyes. 

"He might be broken but he's still more powerful in a fight," Leo reasoned. 

"So train more, stupid," Tammi rolled her eyes, "Learn to actually fight with a sword for one. Use that big brain of yours, you fixed Festus, didn't you? You helped us repair some of the Colchis bulls, didn't you? Invent something to help you. As for your fire... change it." 

Leo looked at her bewildered, "How can I change my fire?"

"Make it into something that water can't put out. If Jackson can't put out your flames then he's as good as dead." 

A fire water can't put out? Leo mulled it over for a bit, he knew the answer for it, he did. It was just taking him a bit to get there. Tammi sat patiently next to him examining her nails. 

His head whipped to look at her, "Greek fire! Water can't put out Greek fire!" 

"Bingo." She smiles, "Now all you need to do is figure out how to make it."

"Well, it's not that hard actually, the Byzantine Empire was able to make and use it. The problem is figuring out how I'm supposed to make it a part of myself."

"You'll figure it out." Tammi stood up, stretching her legs, "In the meantime, try not to get killed." 

Leo watched her go. He wasn't quite sure what to make of her. She hadn't tried to charm speak him or kill him, that had to count for something. She was almost friendly in a way no one else had been up till now. 

Festus gave a hum, tilting his head towards Leo in a way that made him look like he was asking a question. 

"Will you still stay with me even if I hurt people?" Leo asked softly. He knew Festus was a machine, that maybe it was dumb to ask him that but Festus was the only one he felt he could rely on right now. If he lost Festus... then what reason did he have to keep going?

Leo felt a nudge at his side. Festus rubbed against him and gave another hum. He looked at Leo croaking and groaning while moving his head almost exasperatedly at him. Festus might not speak in words but Leo felt like he understood what he was trying to say. He was with him till the end. 

"Thanks buddy." Leo gets up, rubbing off the dirt that clung to him. 

"Alrighty, then," he grins up at Festus, "let's get to work." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! I’ll try and update as soon as I can


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